Concertina or accordion



June 28, 1927. 1,634,108

R. C. LEPPERT CONCERTINA 0R ACCORDION Filed Feb. 10. 1926 2 shoews 2 Patented June 28, 1927.

PATENT. OFFICE.

ROBERT C. LEPPERT, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

CONCERT INA OR ACCORDION.

Application filed February 10, 1926. Serial No. 87,335.

This invention has relation, generally, to improvements in concertinas or accordions, or that class of musical instruments in which extensible bellows are employed to produce sound by the actionof the wind or air on reeds of various sizes, and particularly, to a valve andits actuatingmechanism, for controlling the passage. of air to and. from the reeds and through the tremolo boxes.

The principal object of my present invention is to provide a musical instrument of the above named type, which shall be of high efliciency in itsoperation, and with its parts especially constructed," arranged and combined, with respect to a valve and its actuating mechanism,'employed for controlling the passage of air to and from the reeds of the instrument and-through the tremolo boxes thereof, so as to attainmusical notes and combination oi notes, of a more desirable character than has heretofore been produced by instruments of .a like class. The invention also has as one of its objects,

means for the very nice or accurate adjustment of the actuating mechanism of said controlling valve.

Furthermore, another object of the invention is, to so construct and arrange the.

push pin of said actuating mechanism that it will not be accidentlly operated by the movement of the lever which controls the valve for the in-take of air, or by the ma nipulation of theother parts of the instrument. a I

A still further object of theinvention is, to provide simple and efiicient means for the guidance of one of the members of the said actuating mechanism and also for the adjustment of said member in order that another part of said machanism may be ad justed with respect to the controlling valve. Various other objects and advantages of the invention will be disclosed in the following description and explanation, which will be more readily understood when'read in conjuncti'on'with the accompanying draw ings, which serve to illustrate anfl l b'odiment of myinvention, it beingunderstood that changes and modifications may be re sorted to Without a.- departure fromthe spirit of theinventiomso long as tliey. fall within the scope of the appended-chime In the drawings Fig. 1, is a view in elevation of the end of the end-box located at the melody end of the instrument, facing the end-box atthe other end of the instrument, showing tremolo valves, and my improved controlling valve mounted on its face.

Fig. 2, is a vertical sectional view taken on line 2, 2, ofFig. 1, as indicated by the arrows.

Fig. 3, is a similar view taken on line 3, 3, of Fig, 1, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows. V V

Fig. 4, is a like view taken on line 4, 4,015 Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows, said view showing the controlling valve and its actuating mechanism.

Fig. 5, isa transverse View taken on line 5, 5, of Fig. 4, as indicated by the arrows.

Fig. 6, is an inner face view of the outer wall of the end-box at the melody end of the instrument, taken on line 6, 6, of Fig. 4, showing in detail, the means for fastening the push pin in its retracted position and Fig. 7, is a plan sectional view taken on line 7, 7-, of Fig. 4, as indicated by the,

rows.

Corresponding numerals of reference, designate like parts throughout the different views of the drawings.

It will be understood that in the drawings, only such parts as are concerned with the controlling valve and itsmechanism for the passage of air to and from the reed box is shown, and that the other parts which cooperate in a manner well understood in the art, are omitted. The end-box'which carries the reeds, the lever for the in-take of air, the hand strap, and other parts, and located at the melody end of the instrument, is indicated by the reference numeral 10, and is shown in the drawing in about the position it will occupy when the instrument is v being played. This box has'mounted'on its inner wallll, or Wall adjacent the other end-box (not shown) a bellows 12, of the ordinary construction and in the usual manner,which bellows is'of an extensible nature and is fastened at its other end to the end b'oX" (not shown). The wall or partition 11,. i's'provided with three elongated openwe e nd 15. 9am inr fi l i m' with one another, as shown in Fig. 5, of the drawing. These openings are covered by means of a screen 16, fastened to the front surface of the wall 11, or that surface there of, adjacent the hand strap 17, on the front wall of the said end-box, for the purpose of keeping out foreign matter and dust. Each of the openings 13 and 14, is surrounded by a tremolo box 18, located on the rear surface of said wall. One of these tremolo boxes 18, is inclined downwardly towards the wall 11, while the other of said boxes is inclined upwardly from said wall at its rear surface. as is clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 3, of the drawings. The box 18, with the upwardly and rearwardly inclined wall is provided in said wall with an opening 19, said opening being covered by a screen 20, for a well known purpose. Hinged to the inner surface of this rear wall just above its opening 19, is a valve 21, which carries on its lower end a flexible arm 22, on the free end of which is mounted a weight 23, to give vibration to the valve 21, when the same is operated. This valve and the port or opening 19, which it closes may be pro-' vided with cushioning material on their adjacent portions to make a close fit of the valve, as is well known. The other valve box 18, has in its downwardly and rearwardly inclined wall an opening or port 2%, which is closed by means of valve 25, hinged at is upper end to the rear surface of its inclined wall at a distance above the opening Qel, so that said opening will approximate the lower end of the valve 25, as shown. The latter named valve is provided with a resilient arm 22. secured to the lower end of the valve. and said arm is provided with a weight 23, as in the other valve, and for the same purpose.

The opening 15, in the wall 11. lies between the openings 13 and 1t. and in parallelism therewilh.as clearly shown in Fig. 5, of the drawings. This opening or port 15, is closed by a controlling valve 26. which extends vertically with respect to the endbox 10, when the instrument is being played, and is hinged at its lower end to the wall 11, just below the lower end of the port 15, therein. The valve 26, is located on the outer or rear surface of the wall 11. and has a plate on its front surface, and said plate provided with a projection or boss 28. for screw threaded engagement with one prong 29., of an elbow-shaped member 30. of the actuating mechanism for said valve. The other ano upwardly extended arm 31, of this member. is provided with a pair of longi tudinally spaced set screws 32, which screws are employed to adjust one end of a link 33, to the arm 31, for it will be seen and understood by reference to Figs. and 5, of the drawings, that the link 33, is provided near one of its ends with a slot 3st, through uscd tor operating the air in-tako valve which the screws 32, are extended and screwed into suitable openings in the arm 31,

of the above mentioned elbow member. The upper or other end of the link 33, is provided with an open ended slot 3:"), which slot receives the guide 36, secured transversely on the upper part of the end-box 10, by which means and arrangement it. is obvious thatthe link 33, can be freed from the guide 36, by loosening the screws and sliding the link 33. downwardly, when it apparent the elbow member 30, can be turned with respect to the boss 28, so as to accurately and nicely adjust the elbow member with respect to the valve 26, so that a most efficient clo sure for the opening 15, will be afforded. After this adjustment has been made, the link 33, may he slid up ardly so as to engage the guide 36, as is apparent. The valve 26, is normally held in its closed position by means of a bow spring 3T, secured at its lower end to a block 38, mounted and secured on the wall 11, below the lower or hinged end of the valve and rests, as shown, on the rear surface of said *alve.

It will be observed by reference to Fig. i, that the link of the controlling valve actuating mechanism, extends at its upper end very close to the top wall of the endbox 10, and normally assumes a position in parallelism with the reed board 3?, upon which the reeds (not shown) are mounted. Between the upper part of the board 37, and the front wall of the endbox 10, is mounted on said box, a depending bracket- 38, which has an opening in its lower por tion for the reception and operation of the reduced portion 35), of a push pin it), which pin extends forwardly through an opening 0, in the front wall of the end-box 10, located in the upper part of said wall and near one side of the lever -l-1, which lever is 4:2, through the medium of connections l3 and. l, which latter connection passc-= over a pulley 45, mounted on a bracket ll). secured to the bottom wall of the (.UtldJOX 10, and is secured to said valve. The other connection 13, extends through the upper wall of the end-box 10. and has a head 47, on its outer end for engagement with the slotted end of said lever. By the proper manipulation of the lever ll, it is evident that the valve 42, will be opened for the passage of air through the port 4-2 which port is provided in one side of said end-box.

Extended through suitable openings in the upper portion of the board 37, and :1 plate 48, secured on the front surface of said board directly in front of the upper portion of the link 33, is a plunger rod 49, which has on its forward end a disk like head 50, against which disk the end of the reduced portion 39, of the push pin rests. The other end of the plunger rod s9, is provided with lit:

holds the plunger rodin a retracted POSltion forwardly, as well as, the push pin 40, in its normal position.

As before stated, the push pin is located in an opening 40, in the front board'of the end-box 10, and alignswith the plunger rod.

In order to hold the push pin 40, in the position it will occupy when the valve 26, is opened, said pin is provided'on one of its sides with a shoulder 53, which, when the pin is pressed inwardly said shoulder will engage a plate 54, secured to the inner surface of the front wall of the end-box 10, at the side of the opening 40, adjacent the shoulder It will thus be understood, that in order to release the push pin 40, from the plate 54, it will be only necessary to push said pin slightly in a transverse direction with respect to the longitudinal axis of the instrument, and that by this arrangement there will be little or no danger of the push pin being accidently operated when the lever 41, is depressed in order to open the intake valve 42, which is held in a closed position by means of a spring 43, secured at one of its ends to the upper portion of the end-box 10, just above the hinge of the valve 42, for the iii-take 42, of air.

From the foregoing and by reference to the drawings, it will be clearly seen and understood, that by extending and retracting the bellows and operating the lever controlling the intake of air, it will pass from the opening 42*,into the. bellows, and from thence through the opening 15, when the ave 26, is opened, without producing any except the ordinary eiiect on the reeds. By closing the valve 26, which controls the opening 15, in the wall 11, which can be done by releasing the shoulder 53,0f the push pin 40, from the plate 54, thus permitting the spring 37, to automatically close said valve, it is apparent that the current of air will be caused to flow through the tremolo boxes 18,

in which operation the vibratory valves 21 and 25, will be caused to open and vibrate,

thus producing tremolo notes or tones.

VVhenit is again desired to open the valve 26, it is apparent that this may be done by pressing "the push pin 40, inwardly so as to cause the plunger rod 49, tocontact with and push rearwardly the link 33, and the elbow arm 30, which is adjustably connected to said valve, in which operation it will be 11th derstood,that the guide 36, will co-operate with the slotted end of the link 33, so as to cause the parts to move with accuracy or precision. \Vhen the push pin shall have thus been: pressed imvardly, it is obvious that its, shoulder 53 will engage the plate 54, and that by reason of its connection with the valve 26, will hold the same open until its shoulder isreleased, when the bow spring {37, will auton'iatically close the valve and cause the pin to assume its normal position; By arranging the shoulder 53, on one side of the push pin and the plate 54, for its engagement near the latter, it is apparent that on the inward pressure of the lever 41, there will be no liability in accidently operating the push pin;

Having thus fully described the invention,'what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a musical instrument of the class described, the combination with an end-box, ot a bellows secured to one end thereof, a wall located between the bellows and said boX havin an air- )assa e-wav therein and U C u and means for manually opening the same,

said last named means consisting of an elbow shaped member having one of its arms adjustably connected to the said valve, a link longitudinally adjustably'secured to the other arm of said member and having at its free end an open ended slot, a guide mounted longitudinally on the inner surface of the top of the instrument to coact with the slot of said link for guiding the same in its movement, a spring actuated plunger rod mounted longitudinally with respect to the instrument in the said box for contact with said link, and a push pin mounted in the front wall of said box in alignment with the plunger rod and extended through said wall, said push pin having means to retain it in retracted position, said last named means being located at one side of the push pin to prevent its accidental operation when other parts of the instrument are manipulated 2. 'A musical instrument of the class described including a partition across the end box of said instrumentand having an air passage-way therein, a controlling valve hingedly mounted on the rear portion of said wall to close said air passage-way, means to automatically close said valve and means for manually opening vthe same, the last named means consisting of an elbow shaped member having one of its arms longitudinally slotted and its other arm adjustably connected to the said valve, a link longitudinally adjustable in said slot and having at its free end an open ended slot, a guide e as t e nn r sur a e of e p f ill! tended through said Wall, said push pin having means to retain it in retracted position said last named means being located at one side of the push pin to prevent its accidental operation When other parts of the instrument are manipulated.

ROBERT C. LEPPERT.

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